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An Unwilling Accomplice by Charles Todd

An Unwilling Accomplice by Charles Todd is a great read. Not only does it have a riveting mysterious plot but it also has details about English society during World War I. Since this month marks the 100th anniversary of the war people might want to read this book to immerse themselves in that era.

The plot begins with World War I nurse Bess Crawford on leave to accompany a wounded soldier, Sergeant Jason Wilkins, to Buckingham Palace, where he’s to be decorated by the King. Her duties include escorting him back to the hotel and prepping him for his journey back. The next morning she checks in on him only to find he has disappeared. Bess is baffled because the missing Sergeant was presumably badly injured, confined to a wheelchair, and unable to walk out of the hotel by himself. A soldier is then found murdered outside of London a few days later and someone has recognized Sergeant Wilkins as the perpetrator.

Bess must face a number of ramifications for the Sergeant’s actions. Both the Army and the nursing service hold her negligent for losing the war hero. Scotland Yard comes calling to Bess’s door, and accuses her of irresponsibly for leaving her patient, allowing him to go AWOL, and possibly murder someone. She enlists her good family friend Simon to help solve the mysterious disappearance, restore her reputation, and clear her name.

She is somewhat hampered by what she can do and to gain access to information. The authors show through the characters the restrictions on women. A woman during that era was not free to travel alone. They are basically subservient to men including having to turn over any of their own property when married.

Another interesting part of the book is the comparison with that era and current times. How easily people take for granted the way detectives solve crimes today. During that period intuition, questioning, and connecting the dots were the tools used instead of DNA, ballistics, and fingerprints.

An Unwilling Accomplice not only has an enthralling plot but also provides historical insight into the time period. As always there are wonderful plot twists, and an ending you might not expect. This book is a mystery, historical novel, and psychological thriller all rolled into one.